# Date: September 3, 1921

On the manuscript of the document printed below there is an indication 
from Lenin to his secretary regarding retyping the document on a 
typewriter of the following content:
on typewriter
on letterhead: 
1) to the addressee
/ 
2) to me
copies: 
| 
3) to Avanesov
( 4) to Gorbunov *) and Smodjiannikov.
16. 
8968

* LETTER TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF JUSTICE D. I. KURSKY ON COMBATING 
RED TAPE THROUGH JUDICIAL MEASURES.

P. C. of J.
Comrade Kursky and his 
deputy, as well as 
all members of the collegium

3/IX [1921]

I have directed to you through the manager of affairs of the Council 
of People's Commissars a statement from Professor Graftio2) with astonishing 
documents of red tape3).

This red tape is especially in Moscow and central 
institutions the most ordinary occurrence. But all the more attention must be 
devoted to combating it.

My impression is that the P. C. of J. treats this matter 
purely formally—that is, fundamentally incorrectly.

It is necessary:

1) to bring this matter before the courts;

2) to achieve the public denunciation of the guilty parties both in the press 
and through strict punishment;

3) to tighten up judges through the Central Committee, so that they punish 
red tape more severely;

4) to organize a conference of Moscow people's judges, members of tribunals, 
etc., for the development of effective measures in the struggle against red tape;

5) necessarily this autumn and winter of 1921-22 to bring 4-6 cases of Moscow 
red tape before the courts in Moscow, selecting the most striking instances 
and turning each trial into a p o l i t i c a l case;

6) to find at least 2-3 intelligent "experts" on red tape cases from among 
the more experienced and more courageous communists (attract Sosnovsky4)) 
so as to learn how to p e r s e c u t e red tape;

7) to issue a good, sensible, non-bureaucratic letter (circular of the P. C. of J.) 
on combating red tape.

I place this most important task on the p e r s o n a l responsibility 
of the Commissar and his deputy, and request that you report to me regularly 
on its implementation5).

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Lenin.

*) Y. Y. Gorbunov (b. 1888) — manager of affairs of the Council of People's Commissars.

2) G. O. Graftio — engineer, builder of the Volkhov Project.

3) Professor Graftio's statement pointed to a series of causes that were hindering 
work on the Volkhov Project. An investigation by the P. C. of J. established that Professor 
Graftio had constantly demanded, written, and personally appeared at the Elektrostroi, 
Glavkomgosor and other institutions, demanding both approval of the program and provision 
of the necessary food supplies for the Volkhov Project, pointing out at the same time its 
extremely serious significance for the Republic. Despite the fact that all responsible workers 
of the named institutions recognized the striking importance of the Volkhov Project, it was 
in fact still relegated to second priority, from which inevitably flowed all further 
consequences—reduction of the program, cuts in rations, untimely provision of food 
supplies to the Volkhov Project, etc.

4) I. S. Sosnovsky (b. 1886) — well-known journalist, was editor of "Bednost."

5) See further—letter to D. I. Kursky of January 17, 1922, p. 58.